Rain, snow and extremely cold temperatures have kept most anglers at home. Those braving the elements have caught some walleye on the inland lakes. Pier anglers are getting steelhead, whitefish and the occasional walleye. Check out the waters that hold muskie and northern pike in your area as this is the time of year to catch both species.

All anglers 17 years of age and older are required to have a fishing license.

Buy your license ►

Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Walleye anglers were fishing off the Metro Park when the winds allowed. Those fishing the Metro Park Marina caught bluegills and small perch.

Huron River: Steelhead were just starting to move up into the river. No big numbers, but a few were caught up near the dam at Flat Rock when floating spawn.

Detroit River: Walleye anglers caught a few throughout the river. Fish were caught north or Wyandotte near Grassy Island and near the Ambassador Bridge when jigging. Try a brown Wyandotte worm or a blue ice minnow. Shore anglers caught perch and bluegill in the marinas, however they were sorting through a lot of small perch to get some keepers. Try minnows and wax worms.

Lake St. Clair: This is prime time for muskie fishing. Water temperatures are rapidly decreasing, and these fish go on a feeding frenzy. Fish can be found in the shallows and near the mouth of rivers and creeks. Walleye fishing improves as the weeds are dying off. Try bottom bouncers with a crawler harness in the early morning. For bluegill and perch, try the marinas.

St. Clair River: Walleye fishing continues to pick up throughout the entire river. A few limit catches were taken near Port Huron when fishing the Canadian side. Shore anglers casting off the wall at Port Huron caught a few after dark. Water clarity was highly variable with the wind and rain.

Saginaw River: Anglers continued to catch walleye in the lower river near the Independence Bridge. Most were boat anglers jigging a twister tail with a minnow. A few were caught by boat and shore anglers up near the Veterans Bridge.

Back to Top

Southwest Lower Peninsula

St. Joseph River: There were still a few steelhead moving through the ladders, however steelhead movement declined with the recent drop in water temperatures which were in the middle 40’s. Once that temperature drops below 40 there will be even fewer fish in the ladders.

Kalamazoo River: Higher water levels affected steelhead fishing as the fish were harder to land. A decent number of northern pike were being caught in the lower river. Try the shallow bayous and marsh areas.

Grand Haven: Had no boat anglers. Pier anglers were still getting a fair number of steelhead when using spawn. Some caught the occasional whitefish on a single egg or wax worms.

Grand River at Grand Rapids: Steelhead were caught up near the 6th Street Dam. Most were floating or drifting salmon eggs. Chartreuse was the hot color. Some caught the occasional coho.

Grand River at Lansing: With water levels up and the fast current, few were out. This is a good time to target pike in both the Grand and the Looking Glass River.

Muskegon: Both pier anglers and those surf fishing continue to target steelhead. A few perch and walleye were caught at the mouth of the Muskegon Channel.

Muskegon River: Water levels were high, so most were boat fishing. Levels should come down and the waters should clear up which will help those targeting trout. Most were swinging flies, but a few were using spawn bags, spinners or crank baits. Anglers reported a fair number of fish between the mouth and Croton Dam.

Back to Top

Northeast Lower Peninsula

Cheboygan County: A few walleye anglers could be found on the inland lakes. Try Maple Bay or along the east side of Burt Lake. On Mullett Lake, try the south end near the Indian River. On Black Lake, try a crawler harness or casting a body bait on the north end.

Alpena: A few walleye could still be found near the mouth of the river when casting crank baits and jigs. This is the time of year when spear anglers start targeting whitefish.

Thunder Bay River: Those fishing up near the 9th Street Dam caught the occasional Atlantic salmon. Most were drifting and floating spawn however a couple fish were taken when casting spoons and body baits. Walleye were caught in the early morning or evening when casting body baits.

Oscoda: Pier anglers continued to target walleye when casting body baits in the early morning or late evening. The whitefish are slowly moving in and were caught when casting small spoons.

Au Sable River: Anglers were still getting a few Atlantic salmon when drifting spawn bags, casting small spoons and spinners or when stripping streamers. A few more steelhead were caught on flies or spawn bags. The occasional brown trout or brook trout were also caught. Walleye were caught in upper Foote Pond or down near the mouth when casting jigs or body baits.

Houghton Lake: Walleye fishing was picking up, however no anglers have been out. The only boats out were duck hunters. Those fishing near the Reedsburg Dam were getting a few pike but no one has been out lately.

Tawas: Walleye anglers were fishing near the boat launch and off the State Dock. Early morning or late evening were best when casting lures or still-fishing with live bait.

Tawas River: The occasional walleye was caught down near the mouth.

Back to Top

Northwest Lower Peninsula

Overall: All the rivers were running high. There should be some steelhead in area rivers however very few anglers have been out.

Crooked Lake: In Emmet County, a few anglers were looking for perch.

Petoskey: Some anglers were targeting steelhead off the clock dock; however, the last report was no fish were caught. Those shore fishing just past the mouth of the Bear River caught a couple lake trout that had be released as the season is closed.

Platte River: The egg-take operation in the lower river is finished. Staff plan to remove the lower weir on November 14.

Manistee: When they could get out, pier anglers continued to target steelhead when using fresh spawn. A few whitefish were hitting on salmon eggs or wax worms.

Manistee River: Flow is a bit high and steelhead fishing was fair. Water temperatures below Tippy Dam were in the mid to high 40’s. Anglers caught steelhead, brown trout and even the odd salmon on flies, beads, spinners and crank baits. Those wading above and below the coffer dam caught a few fish.

Pere Marquette River: Water levels are up. Those targeting steelhead were getting a few, mainly on flies. Try an egg pattern or a bead.

Back to Top

Upper Peninsula

Little Bay De Noc: Winter like weather is upon us as anglers start targeting primarily walleye. Overall, walleye fishing was pretty good with bigger fishing showing up. Some reported catching over a limit of fish however because of size they were only able to keep a few. Those fishing the reefs near Kipling reported fair catches. Daytime anglers were trolling stick baits in 30 to 32 feet or jigging. The First and Second Reefs were best but those targeting the Third and Center Reefs were marking good numbers of fish. Night anglers did best between the Second and Third Reefs when trolling stick baits in 18 to 22 feet. Some were fishing in shallow waters 6 to 10 feet and casting stick baits while anchored. Not many perch anglers but a few nice catches were taken just north of the “Narrows” when using minnows in 30 to 35 feet.

Big Bay De Noc: Those targeting pike caught fish up in the shallows. The bite continued as these fish tend to go on a feeding frenzy this time of year. Smallmouth bass fishing was fair for those using tube baits.

Manistique River: Had a late report of a couple steelhead caught between the mouth and the dam.

Back to Top

Fishing Tip: Fall is an important time to think about gear maintenance

With the colder months quickly approaching, many anglers may be getting ready to store their gear for the season. Below are a few maintenance tips you should follow so your gear is cared for and ready to be used next season.

1. Make sure your gear is clean and completely dry before storing it. Start by cleaning everything (rods, reels and line) in fresh water with soap or with the manufacturer’s recommended solution to remove any materials that may have become attached or embedded.
2. Inspect your gear for any damage and make any repairs or prepare for replacements.
3. Don’t store any of your gear in direct sunlight and don’t store any of your gear where heat and/or moisture might build up.
4. Air your waders out completely and don’t forget to hang them upside down for the months they are out of use.

Back to Top

This report is intended to give you an idea of what is going on around the state. Updates come from Fisheries staff and Conservation Officers. With more than 11,000 inland lakes, the Great Lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams, not all locations can be listed. However, it is safe to say if a species is being caught in some waters in the area, they are likely being caught in all waters in that section of the state that have that species